A RIDE FOR LIFE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1220, 17 July 1885, Page 3

A RIDE FOR LIFE.

Mr Lambie, of the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’s’ correspondent with the Soudan Contingent, thus describes his adventure on May 6, which so nearly cost him and a brother pressman their lives: —The object of the march into the hills beyond Hasheen hazing been completed, our division was to return to Suakin, while the Sikhs went back to Otao. 11 was yet early enough in the day to catch the telegraph for Australia, and 1 started for Suakin just before the column had got on the march. Another Australian correspondent, Mr Melvin, was about to go into town, so we rode on together, little thinking that a trap was lying open for us. Wo went along easily through the rough stony country, and took a run on level patches until we were between three and four miles from where the column was hdted About ten minutes before this we noticed a thick pillar of white smoke rising from the foot of a hill about a mile and a half to our right, and its sudden disappearance was still more remarkable. There could be no doubt it was a signal among tho Arabs having reference to the troops at Tadkul, but what it meant specifically could only be guessed at. After going a hundred yards we caught sight of a man on horseback about half a mile to j the left front. The man was going in j the same direction as ourselves, and | was evidently not an Arab. Soon I we heard the sharp crack of a rifle ' close beside us, and a bullet whistled

between us. We looked round but nothing could he seen. Our revolvers were out in an instant, and then suddenly four or five camels with Arabs on them appeared at the edge of the bushes on the right of the track, and pushed towards us quickly. Our first impulae]was to light it out if there was only a few of them, as our twelve shots would give us u fair chance. So I fired at the nearest A rab. I heard shots on the left, and concluded that Mr Melvin was engaging his end of the line. But as suddenly as before more Arabs on camels sprang into sight until eight camels were m view, some carrying two men, all of whom were armed with spears, and several with rifles. They formed aline reach ing past us on either hand, and from the very first they were within fifty yards of us. Then the danger of the position became apparent. How many more of them there might be we knew not, but the proportion was as four or five to one already. As they showed themselves Mr Melvin called out that there was a crowd of them, and just then I saw another camel come up on their left, threatening our escape by the rood we had come. I suggested that we should strike out for the camp; and we turned our horses’ heads quickly towards Tadknl. More shots were fired as we started, and then began a ride for life. The Arabs had seemed rather taken aback at finding us armed and ready to fight, but when we made for running, they flogged up their camels and began the chase. They formed a lo :g semicircle, trying to get round us on the Tamai side. This brought most of them in my direction, and I had the unwelcome at-, tention of the riders of five or six camels, which streamed out in pur suit. My companion was about 80 yards behind, and struck up the bed of a khor. He says that somehow he escaped their notice, and believes that he might have got clear away on the Huakim side, lufc he saw how the Arabs were placing themselves, and hastened to my assistance. In less than half a minute i found my horse could leave the Arabs rapidly, but [ was still alone. Turning in the saddle to see how things were going, I saw an Arab pushing forward from the line to intercept Mr Melvin. Pulling up suddenly, and turning, I started towards Mr Melvin, and just at that moment felt a sharp piercing blow on the right leg below the knee. The red wound and the pain showed wind i was the matter, but there was no time j to think about it. My companion ! succeeded in running round the camel, | and again together we settled down for our ride. I tried the leg in the j stirrup, and found no bones were bro-! ken. Another shot or two pissed, 1 and the camels came on af- er ns, the i Arabs shouting and flogging jheir beasts, but they had not the slightest chance against the'•peed of onr horses. \ They might as well have tried to catch .' a locomotive. Haifa mile was got over at splendid pace, and we were safe from immediate capture. Tet the Arabs were in sight, and we were yet afraid that they might disable us or our horses by firing volleys. So the horses were kept at racing speed over the shingle and the sand, down steep gu lies, and climbing broken banks; jumping over boulders and watercourses, dodging through the long scratching branches of the spiny mimoso ; plunging, leaping, and scrambling, we galloped on foranothei mile. Then we were all right. We did not stop here however, for it was necessary to inform the column of the ambuscade on the ruute. . Passing some Bengal Lancers sent on with the captured goats, we explained to them what had occurred, and put them on guard. When we reached the end of the valley the column was on the point of starting, and we reined in our horses after a ride of three miles. Both horses behaved splendidly. I had my hor.re Rowley, a fine Australian bred animal from the stud of Mr Frank M’Mahon, the well-known breeder of the south coast of New South Wales. I was to have ridden him to-day in a steeplechase at the Suakiu races, but he has already carried me through as hot a steeplechase as anyone need wish to ride in. On our meeting the cavalry my leg was dressed by Surgeon Weir, of the Camel Corps. The bul let had gone through the calf of the leg at an angle, and came out in front of the boot. It is hard to Say how it took that course. From its position it might have been by an accidental discharge of my own pistol, but our Surgeon-Major thinks this could not be, as there is no singeing of the cloth round the -wound, which i, usual with a discharge at such a short distance. } t appears th it the smoke we saw on the hill would be visible at Tamai, though a gorge, and it was, doubtless, a signal for the coacentr.i tionof parties iu an ambush to waylay the column ou its return’ march. The whole scheme had been laid out when our encounter forced theirhaud.